Dajaune Brown

Dajaune Anthony Brown (born 16 October 2005) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Derby County.

Brown after coming through the academy, signed his first professional contract in July 2023, a month later Brown would make his first team debut for Derby. In January 2024, Brown joined Gateshead on loan, where he helped them win the FA Trophy.

Club career
Brown came through Derby County's academy, making his debut for the under-18s as a schoolboy during the 2020–21 season. That season he scored twice in six Premier League U18 appearances. The 2022–23 saw further progress with nine goals in nine appearances for the under-21s, and one goal in three Premier League 2 appearances. Brown also made his first appearance in the first team squad as an unused substitute in Derby's fourth round FA Cup match against West Ham United in January 2023.

In July 2023, after training and playing with the first team in pre-season ahead of the 2023–24 season, Brown, aged 17, signed a three-year professional deal which will run until the summer of 2026. He made his professional debut coming off the bench as a 73rd minute substitute for Conor Washington against Blackpool in the EFL Cup on 8 August 2023. Brown made his senior league debut for Derby as a 77th minute substitute for Max Bird in a 4–0 win against Northampton Town in League One on 31 October 2023. Brown made 5 appearances for the first team during the season as they secured promotion to the Championship.

On 23 January 2024, Brown joined National League club Gateshead on a youth-loan until the end of the season. Brown made his debut for Gateshead as a 77th minute substitute for Conor McBride in a 2–1 win against Barnet on 27 January 2024. Brown scored his first goal in senior football during this loan spell, scoring an 90th minute equaliser in a 1–1 draw at Boreham Wood. He would score his second goal, three days later on 5 March in a 3–2 defeat to Solihull Moors Gateshead interim manager Rob Elliot, called for patience from the Gateshead fans he was yet to start a National League game for Gateshead. On 9 March 2024, Brown would start in Gateshead's FA Trophy quarter-final match at home to Peterborough Sports and he would score his first career hat-trick, within 22 minutes, with goals coming a 15 minute period as Gateshead advanced to the semi-finals 3–2 victors, Brown had now scored five goals in three appearances for Gateshead. On 12 March 2024, Brown would make his first league start and score the only goal in a 1–0 win at home to Dagenham & Redbridge, in the 76th minute which extended his goalscoring run. Brown would score twice in a 7–1 win against local rivals Hartlepool United on 26 March, and would assist Gateshead's two goals in their 2–1 FA Trophy semi-final win against Macclesfield on 6 April, as they secured a place in the final at Wembley Stadium in May. Brown was named the National League Player of the Month for March. Brown scored six times in eighteen National League games during his loan spell, as Gateshead qualified for the National League play-offs, however the club were denied a place in the play-offs as the club failed to meet the EFL to get a 10-year lease on the Gateshead International Stadium require to play in the Football League. Brown would score an equalising goal in extra time in the FA Trophy final against Solihull Moors on 11 May 2024 as the game ended in a 2–2 draw; Gateshead won the tie in a penalty shoot-out to win the Trophy, with Brown scoring the winning penalty in sudden death. Brown scored 10 times in 22 appearances for Gateshead in all competitions.

International career
In March 2024, Brown was called up by the Jamaica under-23 team for a training camp and friendlies against RCD Espanyol Cantera and Guinea under-23s.

Personal life
Born in England, Brown is of Jamaican descent.

Honours
Derby County
 * EFL League One second-place promotion: 2023–24

Gateshead
 * FA Trophy: 2023–24

Individual
 * National League Player of the Month: March 2024